UWG Alumni Return to Share Experiences at 30s and 40s Reunion

Imagine coming back to the University of West Georgia and the class size increased from 200 students, to 12,000. Imagine that instead of the campus only being Front Campus Dr., there are now millions of acres composed of academic buildings, residence halls and green space. Imagine that the teachers you knew and loved now have buildings named after them.

This was how a small group of UWG alumni felt when they visited campus Oct. 4 for a Homecoming Reunion. The group of alumni all graduated from UWG sometime during the 1930s and 1940s. Accompanied by their families, the alumni enjoyed a luncheon and reminiscing about West Georgia College, as it was formerly known.

Many of the alumni talked about how great the faculty and staff was when they attended UWG.

“The faculty was so interested in you and wanted to help you,” said Clarence Cadenhead, class of 1944. “They encouraged and motivated you and would do anything for you. That opened up the world to me.”

Others mentioned specific faculty members who impacted their lives. Dr. Ross Miller, class of 1948, spoke about the “caring faculty” and how UWG impacted his life enormously.

“Ms. Katie Downs, my advisor, wrote a hand written note to my parents commenting on me,” said Miller. “My parents appreciated that very much. It has introduced me to possibilities in my life that I had not realized before.”

Paul Cadenhead, class of 1945, is so indebted to UWG that he even went as far as putting it in his will.

“I have often said that West Georgia never left me, and I have never left West Georgia; it’s in my blood,” said Cadenhead. “I want to thank West Georgia and repay them for what they’ve done.”

Eva Daniel Ulrich, class of 1939, said West Georgia was a wonderful place to be.

“This was the best place in the world to be in school,” said Ulrich. “I treasure my time from West Georgia, very much. Please enjoy all of your time here, because it’s really wonderful.”

One of the eldest attendees, Rachel Hunt Rice, class of 1938, wanted to give some advice to current students.

“It feels great [to be back], but it’s like a different place,” said Rice. “Absorb everything that you can. You get involved and you don’t want to leave.”